Creepy clown spotted in Ocala a dangerous prank, residents say

OCALA, Fla. — A 10-second cellphone video of a clown standing silently on the side of the road in Ocala has put neighbors on edge and law enforcement on the lookout.

The video was posted to Facebook Thursday and shows a person in a clown mask lurking in the tree line after dark along Northwest 57th Lane, and has been viewed more than 400,000 times.

The post prompted numerous Ocala residents to call 911 and caused Marion County deputies to respond to the area more than once on the ground and in the air.

“Oh, I freaked out,” resident Becky Garcia said after seeing the video. “If they can do it right there, what makes you think they couldn’t come on your property?”

Stories of clown sightings across the country have been increasing recently, with reports being made in Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and now Florida.

Residents like Ramona Garcia believe the clown sighting was a prank, one that could have dangerous, even deadly consequences.

“Why aren’t the parents telling their kids this is not safe to do?” she asked. “Because somebody will take it the wrong way and they will shoot.”

While the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said whoever it was spotted wearing a clown costume wasn’t breaking any laws, but regardless, deputies were keeping a close eye on the area.

Cox Media Group